Back Yard
Shine on, O moon of summer. Shine to the leaves of grass, catalpa and oak, All silver under your rain to-night. An Italian boy is sending songs to you to-night from an accordion. A Polish boy is out with his best girl; they marry next month; to-night they are throwing you kisses. An old man next door is dreaming over a sheen that sits in a cherry tree in his back yard. The clocks say I must go--I stay here sitting on the back porch drinking white thoughts you rain down. Shine on, O moon, Shake out more and more silver changes.
Back Yard - meaning Summary
Moonlight Ties Everyday Lives
The poem observes a summer moon linking small, ordinary lives in a backyard scene. Sandburg notes moments: boys courting and playing music, an old man dreaming in a tree, and the speaker lingering on the porch. The moonlight becomes a gentle, unifying presence that turns private details into shared silver moments. The tone is quietly celebratory and reflective, emphasizing connection and calm in everyday experience.
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